According to the tobacco control law established in Bangladesh in 2005, any promotion of tobacco products at the point of sales is strictly prohibited. Despite this Japan Tobacco International (JTI) which is a multinational tobacco company has been distributing boxes decorated with JTI brand colours and attached JTI display boards. This not only promotes tobacco but also attracts the youth to its products. The punishment for advertising tobacco and tobacco products in Bangladesh is a simple imprisonment up to 3 months or a monetary fine up to Taka 100 000 or both. The penalties will be doubled or tripled according to the repeated offense. But the existence of such promotion campaigns shows the poor implementation of the laws regarding tobacco in Bangladesh.

(Published with the courtesy of Knowledge for Progress (PROGGA) Bangladesh)